One Night In Highever
by LydiaTheOriginalHellion
Summary: Lady Esperanza Cousland is fiery, independent and determined to blaze her own path. Ser Roderick Gilmore is a knight in the service of the Cousland's and the childhood friend of Esperanza. One night in Highever is all it takes for them to realize their true love and devotion to one another but is love enough to transcend duty...and possibly death?


_**ALL HAIL THE MIGHT BIOWARE! It's their world; I just play with it!**_

_I have not, currently do not nor will I ever make money off of this story.  
_

_**Warning;**_

_**R**ated** M**ature __for:_

_**L**anguage_

_**V**__iolence_

_**S**__exual__** S**__ituations_

_**D**__rug __and__** A**__lcohol References_

Review/favorite and not only will I love you forever but I'll be sure to immortalize you on the next chapter!

_**Chapter One: Growing Up**_

Esperanza Cousland jerked awake for the third time and nearly reached for one of her fine silver blades when it donned on her _yet_ again that her oldest and most cherished friend

Gilmore had spent the night with her. So unaccustomed was she to anyone sleeping with her that every small movement the young man made roused her from her usual fitful

slumber. Esperanza let out a silent puff of air before settling back down and cuddled up next to Gilmore's warm, naked body. Absentmindedly, Esperanza ran her hand down the

young man's toned stomach and nearly gasped when her fingers accidentally touched his erect member. Gilmore moaned and shifted slightly towards Esperanza but was still fast

asleep. Esperanza smirked to herself as she buried her face in his soft, red hair and breathed deeply the subtle aroma of leather. "Mm...Esper." Gilmore called out to Esperanza,

who in turn perked up and leaned in. "Yes?" She asked tentatively and pressed her lips to his forehead. Gilmore mumbled, groaned and shifted again, still fast

asleep. Esperanza chuckled softly and ruffled the man's hair. Gilmore snorted and shot straight up, fully awake. "The castle is under attack, guard the Bann and his wife! I

have to find Esper..." Gilmore realized that what ever had been happening in his dream was just that, only a dream, and that dear Esperanza was laughing into her pillow beside

him. "Sorry, my Lady. I didn't mean to wake you." After Esperanza managed to stop laughing, she pulled her face from her pillow and fixed Gilmore with a smirk. "Is the Highever

family's famous Ferelden stew not sitting right with you, darling?" Esperanza could see the pale man blush at her remark even in the darkness of her room. "Perhaps...actually,

my lady, that's not it. I think that we must stop seeing each other." Esperanza flinched and regarded Gilmore for a moment before asking, "And why do you believe that?"

Gilmore rubbed his neck slightly and sighed, as if he was unsure how to continue. "I...care about you...and these stolen nights and feverish kisses will only cause us both heart

ache when you are married away to some noble in some far away land." Esperanza sat up, ignoring the fur pelt falling to her waist and grabbed Gilmore's face in her hands.

Gilmore stared intently into Esperanza's iceberg-blue eyes as she spoke in a gruff voice. "Let me make something perfectly clear, Gil; I _refuse_ to marry anyone other than...you."

Esperanza added in a whisper. "My Lady, your parent's would..." "It's not their lives to dictate!" Esperanza growled and upon seeing Gilmore ever so slightly recoil, kissed him

gently. "I'm sorry, Gil. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just so very _tired_ of being told what I should do with my life. If I want to marry my best friend, I should be able to."

Gilmore looked away for a moment and looked back at her with a look of disquiet before asking, "Do you...really want to marry me, Esper?" Esperanza, still holding Gilmore's

face, ran small circles with her thumbs along Gilmore's temples before kissing him again. "I do...and... I love you, Gilmore." Gilmore chuckled softly, put his hand behind

Esperanza's head and leaned her down onto the bed. "And I love you, my dearest Lady." Esperanza giggled as Gilmore parted her legs and dipped between them. "Will you

love me forever?" She asked softly as she wrapped her legs around Gilmore's waist. "Yes...forever." The two young lovers cried out in utter ecstasy as the sun began to rise on

their one night in Highever.

* * *

"_Esper..." Little Gilmore mumbled quietly as he was rubbing dirt from his round and rosy cheeks. __Esperanza, who had been lackadaisically playing with her porcelain doll, set the _

_doll down and gave Gilmore her undivided attention "Yea Gill?" A blush flamed across the little boy's freckled face and he chuckled nervously, before turning away sheepishly _

_from the girl. "Can…gah,"Gilmore covered his emerald eyes and turned his head back towards __Esperanza. Seeming to find strength and confidence in not being able to see _

_Esperanza, Gilmore asked a question that stunned the unflappable noble girl, "Can we be friends?" __Esperanza stared blankly at Gilmore for some time before cracking up in high _

_pitched laughter. "Of course, Gill; why couldn't we be friends?" Gilmore slowly moved his grubby hands from his face and stared at Esperanza with wide eyed wonder. "You're a _

_noble girl and I'm…I'm no noble." He added sadly. __Esperanza reached out to him with her small, delicate hands and offered him a toothy grin. Gilmore bit his bottom lip as he _

_held Esperanza's outstretched hands. "Silly Gilly; you are my very __**best**__ friend!" Gilmore's jaw dropped and he cocked his head to the side and asked, "Will we be friends _

_forever?" Esperanza nodded furiously and shouted joyously, "Yea, forever!"_


End file.
